Overview

Mental health concerns – from identity issues to substance abuse, isolation to adverse childhood experiences – and demand for services, has increased in recent years. And in a world where the stigma around mental health persists, the need for dedicated and empathetic mental health nurses has never been more evident.

Whatever your academic or professional background, learn from our internationally renowned clinicians, researchers and academics and prepare to be a leader in healthcare. We’ll teach you skills for evidence-based practice, problem-solving, and collaborative working to meet the changing needs of the healthcare system.

You’ll receive support from your academic adviser, be inspired by guest lecturers, hear lived experiences, and access our state-of-the-art simulation suite. Not only that, but you’ll build competence through a range of mental health placements across Oxfordshire and beyond.

By the end, you’ll be able to contribute significantly to high-quality client care, deliver nursing interventions, and apply your knowledge to real-life situations.

Careers

A whole host of employers across the country and around the world are looking for qualified mental health nurses. There are NHS hospital wards such as psychiatric and specialist units, community settings such as GP surgeries, schools and prisons, the armed forces and mental health charities. You won’t be short of opportunities.

Our graduates are recognised as having excellent competence and confidence in the field, thanks to multiple placements, our simulation suite, and visiting speakers. With half of the course focused on working in practice, you would have built up a strong network of employers to contact.

Finishing with a professional qualification as a mental health nurse, you’ll be well prepared to register and work as a staff nurse in a range of settings. And with your completed research project and master’s level knowledge, you’ll soon be able to open the door to careers at band 6, 7 and 8. You could then step into more senior roles such as advanced clinical practice, research, nurse education or management.